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Post by Timeblue on Apr 13, 2020 22:49:32 GMT
Speaking of fortnights the French confuse things even more by calling a fortnight a quinzaine which translates to 15 days not 14 I've been struck by the way Mercans will say Monday through Friday instead of the (obviously correct)UK version which is Monday to Friday. Maybe the "to" is implied, and would come after the "through"? I adore the Smithsonian channel, they do Aerials of other countries too which are equally fab Well OBVIOUSLY it's "to"....(where's that worm filled can)
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Post by Helmut83 on Apr 16, 2020 3:18:15 GMT
Changing subjects, but still related in a certain way...
Americans might be aware of this, but Europeans might not: for Latin Americans -and I don't necessarily include myself here- it's often quite a big deal if someone says "America" when talking about the United States of America, having in mind the whole continent is America. I've seen people take offense and heated up discussions both personally and on the internet. In Latin America we refer to the country as "Estados Unidos" (United States), and to the continent as "America" -whenever not furtherly divided into South, Central and North America-. The usual reproach is that it is arrogant to call your own country "America" when there are other 34 countries which are part of America too.
It all depends on whom you are talking to. Personally I don't mind, as long as we both know what we are talking about. But when talking to a Latin American you don't know it's always cautious to refer to the country as "United States", "USA", "US" or "United States of America", because there's a lot of grudge around that nominal issue.
I'm sure my American friends have come across this discussion once or twice?
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Post by BSJ on Apr 16, 2020 16:34:54 GMT
I went out to search what you are referring to. I found this on a google page and liked his view.
Logically, it makes perfect sense to use "America" and "Americans" for this country. The name of the country is "United States of America". Why would it be strange to shorten this? It is common to shorten the official name of a country — most people don't even know the official names for the various countries. For example, the official name of Mexico is "los Estados Unidos Mexicanos", which means "the Mexican United States"; nobody is surprised that it is referred to as "Mexico". People would be surprised if you called them the "EUM". (Also, this example shows that even "United States" is not a unique term to one country.)
Australia is officially known as "the Commonwealth of Australia", but we are happy to simply call them "Australians", even though it is also the name of a continent. Depending on how you do your geography, the Australian continent also contains other countries aside from the "COA".
Lastly, I just want to point out that there is no single continent called "America". There is one called "North America" and another called "South America", which are sometimes collectively referred to as "the Americas".
I think the strange thing is not that people from the USA call themselves "Americans", it is actually more strange that the full official name or an acronym is used so often.
--Kosmonaut
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And?
Apr 16, 2020 19:32:37 GMT
Post by Helmut83 on Apr 16, 2020 19:32:37 GMT
Good contribution, BSJ. The guy has a few points but in my opinion he is mostly off and makes a few dumb points. The issue is not with Americans being called "Americans" (in fact people in Latin America call them "Americanos" -Americans- too) but with the USA being called "America". He doesn't address this, which is the issue. One thing in which I think he is off is when he says there is no single continent called America. Who says that? In our schools we get taught that America is the whole big continent, and then the others are three subcontinents. In Spanish the concept "the Americas" doesn't exist, it's just "America". Americans might have another version and he speaks with that, but who says his version is better than the other? If we had to judge by numbers, Latin America has a larger population than the US, so more people are using the other version than his. I'm not saying he's wrong, I'm saying he thinks he's right when there is no right and wrong on this particular point. Also, Australia being the name of a continent? As far as I know the continent is Oceania, Australia is a country in it. Lastly, his point about Mexico is simply stupid. Why would you use an acronym for Mexico when there is no continent called "Mexico"? No need for it because there would never be confusion. The reason people use an acronym for the USA is that the only name the country has coincides with the name of a continent so the distinction needs to be made.
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Post by BSJ on Apr 16, 2020 19:44:59 GMT
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Post by Horacewimp on Apr 16, 2020 19:50:20 GMT
In the U.K. it would be quite normal for us to say “I’m going to America on holiday” if you said this everyone would know it was the USA you were visiting and might ask “”that’s nice New York or Florida “ I jest with this last quote, but they may say “which state”. If for instance we were visiting you Helmut83 we wouldn’t think of saying South America we would say “I’m going to Argentina” we would always say the country not the continent.
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Post by Helmut83 on Apr 16, 2020 20:10:55 GMT
I see, thanks Horacewimp. Yeah, I imagined in many European countries it would work that way. In the particular case of the UK the fact that the US (or "America", hell! ) was their colony might have to do. For all I know Spaniards have an opposite approach and wouldn't say "I'm going to America" when they travel to the US, and that might have to do with the fact that much of Latin America was Spanish colony.
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Post by Grroosss on Apr 19, 2020 3:25:15 GMT
One thing in which I think he is off is when he says there is no single continent called America. Who says that? In our schools we get taught that America is the whole big continent, and then the others are three subcontinents. In Spanish the concept "the Americas" doesn't exist, it's just "America". Americans might have another version and he speaks with that, but who says his version is better than the other? If we had to judge by numbers, Latin America has a larger population than the US, so more people are using the other version than his. I'm not saying he's wrong, I'm saying he thinks he's right when there is no right and wrong on this particular point. Also, Australia being the name of a continent? As far as I know the continent is Oceania, Australia is a country in it. Fascinating. In school we were taught that there are 7 continents--North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, Antarctica--and if anything else that Europe and Asia were combined into Eurasia to make 6 continents. As far as "America" vs "United States" I think most of us tend to be more careful to use "United States" when we're talking to someone from another country. Another interesting observation, that Americans don't use "USA" or "United States of America" much, just "US" or "United States", I guess because when you're in the country it's kind of implied.
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Apr 19, 2020 18:35:32 GMT
Post by Helmut83 on Apr 19, 2020 18:35:32 GMT
Fascinating. In school we were taught that there are 7 continents--North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, Antarctica--and if anything else that Europe and Asia were combined into Eurasia to make 6 continents. As far as "America" vs "United States" I think most of us tend to be more careful to use "United States" when we're talking to someone from another country. I'd say that's a good practice, particularly when talking to latinos. Just in case. Another interesting observation, that Americans don't use "USA" or "United States of America" much, just "US" or "United States", I guess because when you're in the country it's kind of implied. Yeah, time ago I adopted "the US" to refer to your country because I noticed that it was the way Americans said it (when they were not calling it "America"). I remember watching football (soccer) games where American fans chanted "U-S-A" though, maybe they just use it like that on those occasions? Interesting about the continents, in particular that you get taught about North and South America but not Central America. Where are comprised the countries that go from Guatemala and Belize to Panama, plus the Caribbean? We call all of that "Central America". Also, are you sure you get taught Australia is a continent? I've always heard the continent is Oceania, and Australia is the country.
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Post by Grroosss on Apr 20, 2020 5:08:52 GMT
Interesting about the continents, in particular that you get taught about North and South America but not Central America. Where are comprised the countries that go from Guatemala and Belize to Panama, plus the Caribbean? We call all of that "Central America". Also, are you sure you get taught Australia is a continent? I've always heard the continent is Oceania, and Australia is the country. We were taught all 3, North, South, and Central America, but we don't consider Central America to be its own continent. And yes, we're taught to call the continent Australia.
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Apr 20, 2020 5:43:18 GMT
Post by Helmut83 on Apr 20, 2020 5:43:18 GMT
What you tell me itches my curiosity, Grroosss. If Central America is not a continent on it's own but South America and North America are, then Central America has to belong to one of those two continents. To which? Only now I've come to know that there are people who call the whole continent "Australia". I'm still surprised. I wonder if it includes New Zealand and other smaller insular countries like Fiji, Vanuatu, Tuvalu, Samoa and Tonga (our "Oceania" does). How revealing, education in geography seems to be considerably different depending on the country you are at.
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Apr 20, 2020 7:14:36 GMT
Post by Horacewimp on Apr 20, 2020 7:14:36 GMT
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And?
Apr 20, 2020 7:49:08 GMT
Post by Timeblue on Apr 20, 2020 7:49:08 GMT
I've always thought of Central America as part of South America.
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Apr 20, 2020 8:25:49 GMT
BSJ likes this
Post by Horacewimp on Apr 20, 2020 8:25:49 GMT
I've always thought of Central America as part of South America. ....and me.
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